Front Row and Behind-the-Scenes News from the World of Ballet
March 12 marks Vaslav Nijinsky's birthday. He would have been 122 years old! Vaslav (or Vatslav) Nijinsky (March 12, 1890 – April 8, 1950) was a Russian danseur and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. Wikipedia.org. To honor Vaslav Nijinsky's birthday here's a short video of him throughout the years. Notice in second 0:55 he is seen with Anna Pavlova. Video courtesy of YouTube. On Vaslav Nijinsky's birthday let's … [Read more...]
One of many little known facts about Anna Pavlova's life is that she had a dessert created in her honor: the Anna Pavlova Dessert. It has an interesting history, which you can read below, but it also is quite yummy and I look forward to preparing it. For you next special occasion, give it a try, the recipe is really quite easy to prepare. Take a picture of your creation and send it to us. We will publish it and share with our readers! Anna Pavlova Dessert Origin and History Pavlova is … [Read more...]
In my post: Why did Sergei Polunin quit? I, like many ballet lovers had this unanswered question. Now the truth begins to surface. Polunin, whose passionate and technically brilliant performances have drawn comparisons with Rudolf Nureyev arrived in Britain as a promising 13 year-old. But in recent months friends and colleagues have spoken of their concern that he has struggled to cope with the pressure of performing at such a level. The dancer is understood to have told the Royal Ballet … [Read more...]
Anna Pavlova and Frederick Aston crossed paths during her South American tour. He had gone to see the great ballerina perform and his life was changed forever! Frederick Aston Ashton was born at Guayaquil in Ecuador, [on September 1904] in the artistic neighbourhood called Las Peñas, the original founding site of the city. When he was three years old he moved with his family to Lima in Peru. When he was 13 he witnessed a life-changing event when he attended a performance by the … [Read more...]
The life of famous Russian ballerina Ana Pavlova was an extraordinary one. She was born on February 12, 1881, though there has been a bit of controversy on the exact date (January 31st) and died a few days shy of her 50th birthday, on January 23, 1931. She has a special connection to Mexico, the county I call home, as she was the first classical ballerina to interpret the "Jarabe Tapatio" dance on pointe during her 1919 tour to this country. The Jarabe Tapatio is commonly known as The … [Read more...]
As I've written in a previous post, mirroring Jennifer Homans' sentiment, ballet is a way of being, of acting, a civilizing art form. This premise is based on her 15 years of research on the origins of classical ballet: ballet is more than an art, ballet is a way of life. And I agree! As a Sunday evening break and a visual delight, I'd like to offer this lovely video from YouTube, uploaded by royalballetflanders to promote the 2011-2012 season of the Royal Ballet of Flanders. It's entitled: … [Read more...]
Alessandra Ferri is one of my favorite ballerinas. Not only because she has the most incredibly beautiful ballet feet, but because of her powerful stage presence and dramatic interpretation, as you'll witness in the music video below where she appears with Sting: as he plays, she dances with absolute technical control and spiritual abandon. How did Alessandra Ferri get started? Alessandra Ferri was born in Milan, Italy in 1963. She studied at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, until the age of 15, … [Read more...]
Occasionally I run across a quote that is not necessarily a ballet quote, but it's wisdom fits perfectly with what it takes to be part of the ballet world. Such is the case today. This quote by Vincent Van Gogh rings true with being a dancer and how dancers perfect their craft. Quote: Vincent Van Gogh Good things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. ~ Vincent Van Gogh That is how ballet is taught, little by little, a day at a time. It takes eight … [Read more...]
In this class no girls are allowed. Is ballet for boys too? Now, more than ever! Just take a look at what male ballet dancers are doing today in Kings of the Dance and Lost in Motion. Ballet for boys is getting a boost on both sides of the Atlantic: in the United States with the Petit Oasis Foundation and in the UK, with the Boys Only! programme. The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), in partnership with Dance Base, presents their Boys Only! weekend workshop for boys between the ages of 8 and 18 … [Read more...]
What are the origins of the word ballet? Is it French or Italian? The definition of ballet comes from the Italian. (Most answer French at first and that's because ballet terminology is in French, most of us quickly assume the word ballet also comes from the French language!) Actually the word ballet comes from balletto, meaning small dance in Italian. Dr. Giannandrea Poesio, historian and dance critic, who writes for the Royal Opera House, explains: Definition of Ballet Ballet: … [Read more...]
